Savchenko announces indefinite hunger strike after arrest extended

According to the decision of judge of Kyiv's Shevchenkivsky district court, Volodymyr Buhel, Savchenko's preventive measure in the form of arrest was extended until September 10.

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Tetiana Protorchenko, the press secretary of Ukrainian Member of Parliament Nadiia Savchenko, who has been arrested on charges of plotting a coup, has said the lawmaker announced an indefinite hunger strike due to the extension of the period of detention.

Protorchenko posted on Facebook photocopies of the relevant statements of Savchenko and the court decision.

"I am announcing an indefinite hunger strike due to the unlawful criminal actions of judge [Volodymyr] Buhel, prosecutors [Oleksandr] Bannyk and [Oleksandr] Klymovych, investigator [Oleksandr] Tomusiak, who judged me without lawyers, without giving me even the opportunity to express my position in the court session in my defense," Savchenko wrote.

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Savchenko also said she refused medical supervision in the penitentiary system of Ukraine because of distrust of doctors.

According to the decision of judge of Kyiv's Shevchenkivsky district court, Volodymyr Buhel, Savchenko's preventive measure in the form of arrest was extended until September 10.

As UNIAN reported, the Verkhovna Rada on March 22 green-lighted the arrest of MP Nadiia Savchenko, a former Ukrainian pilot released from a Russian prison as part of a prisoner-of-war exchange. Ukraine's prosecutors charged Savchenko with plotting a coup and an act of terror in Ukraine, following an elaborate sting operation by SBU Security Service agents, who initially targeted former hostage swap negotiator Volodymyr Ruban.

The latter is believed to have conspired with Savchenko. Savchenko is suspected of committing crimes under Part 1 of Article 109 (actions aimed at the forcible change or overthrow of the constitutional order or seizure of state power); Part 1 of Article 14 (preparations for a crime), Part 2 of Article 28 (committing a crime by a group of persons, a group of persons by prior agreement, an organized group or a criminal organization), Article 112 (an attempted attack on the life of a public figure), Part 3 of Article 258 (an act of terror); Part 1 of Article 258-3 (creation of a terrorist group or organization) and Part 1 of Article 263 (illegal possession of weapons, ammunition or explosives) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

On March 23, Kyiv's Shevchenkivsky district court ruled that Savchenko be remanded in custody for 59 days without bail.

She announced in the courtroom she would go on hunger strike, denying plans to flee Ukraine.

On March 29, Kyiv's Court of Appeals upheld the decision of the first instance court to keep Savchenko behind bars for a period of 59 days until May 20. On May 15, the arrest was extended until July 13.

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